It's that time of the year! The first weekend in August is known for one of the most widely-attended festivals in Greater Cincinnati:
Goettafest. In it's thirteenth year, the festival celebrates the original German breakfast sausage with vendors creating dishes ranging from goetta grilled cheese to goetta brownies.
Goettafest was started in 2001 by Cincinnati's oldest goetta manufacturer:
Glier's Goetta. Over the years, it expanded from a neighborhood street festival to a four day weekend extravaganza occupying the riverfront in Newport, Kentucky. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend to taste some of the 42 goetta dishes created by thirteen local restaurants.
Here's what to put on your Goettagenda:
1.) Goetta-ing there
The
Southbank Shuttle stops right in front of Newport On The Levee, allowing for easy access to-and-from Goettafest. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes connecting Downtown Cincinnati, Bellevue, Covington, and Newport and only costs $1.00.
Check out the map.
2.) The Menu
Some new or something tried and true? Vendor menus located throughout the festival help you decide what to eat.
3.) The Must-Haves
Four dishes you gotta goetta your hands on:
New to this year's Goettafest is
Bayou Fish House, serving up goetta fish tacos, goetta gumbo, and goetta bayou bites (fried jalepenos.) All three of these are mmmmm-mazing and easily my favorite dishes out of the whole festival.
Goetta Fried Rice from
Yat Ka Mein was another delicious use of goetta, creatively melding Asian and German fare.
4.) The Keepsake Beer Mug
Every year, Glier's produces a new design for their keepsake collectors mug. An added bonus: if you buy a mug, you also get a discount on beer refills. This year's selection includes Moerlein, Hudepohl, and many more. Get your collector's mug early; last year they sold out at 7:00PM on Saturday!
5.) Goetta Your Groove On
With two stages of live music, the tunes keep on rockin' every hour of Goettafest. Be sure to check out the weekend's headlining bands:
DV8,
My Girl Friday,
Red Beard's Revenge, and
Kevin McCoy Band.
6.) Chill out in the A/C
You never know who might turn up the heat with a roll of Glier's Hot Goetta. For those afternoon heatwaves, cool off in Goettafest's massive air conditioned dining tent.
7.) Play Goetta-themed games on the Midway
From goetta ring toss to a mug slide with Mr. Goetta, there is enough entertainment at Goettafest to work up an appetite for your second wind.
8.) Goetta! Goetta! Goetta!
Eat more of the classic, elaborate, or wackiest concocted dishes made of goetta:
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| Goetta Bun Link, or one of Glier's Brats or Metts from Mick Noll's. |
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| Deep Fried Goetta Balls from Goettahaus |
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| Goetta Brownie by Busken Bakery |
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| Goetta Sushi from Yat Ka Mein |
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| Goetta Mex Bowl (Chipotle Style) by Butch Carpenter |
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| Goetta Shepherd's Pie by Butch Carpenter |
9.) Buy a roll of goetta from the Goetta Vending Machine
Who needs a gift shop? Take home a souvenir roll of your favorite goetta for just $3.75.
10.) Goetta your picture taken with Mr. Goetta.
11.) Pin the map of where you're visiting from.
On the last day of Goettafest, come back and check out the hundreds of pins in the map as folks have traveled across the United States and from around the world to partake in the celebration of Cincinnati's sausage.
12.) Enjoy the amazing sunset along Cincinnati's riverfront.
13.) Come back and do it all again tomorrow.
